The Great Wolf's Disciple
by M.E. Johnson-McNeil
Summary: My entire life had been spent devoted to Fen'Harel, despite the beliefs of the Dalish. I had experienced his love and protection firsthand, had prayed to him every night. Now, I found myself face to face with the destruction of Thedas. Who should come to my aid and walk by my side but the God himself? *Non-canon, SolasxInquisitor, rated M for violence, language, and smut*.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello lovelies! I've gotten addicted to Dragon Age. So, I decided to write a fanfic on it. This is a Solas/Inquisitor, but it is non-canon as Solas actually reveals himself in the very beginning to the Inquisitor. I was debating on publishing or not as it was originally just a writer's block work-around. I decided, what the heck, why not? Let me know what you all think and I will see you all in the next chapter!**

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 **Chapter 1**

 _"You must not die." The faceless voice commanded._

 _"Who are you? What is going on?" I was terrified, heart pounding in my chest as I searched for something,_ anything _, in the darkness._

 _"I cannot explain, not yet. But you will die if you do not wake up. And you must wake up Brithari. For my sake and yours, you must live."_

 _"Please, tell me who you are!"_

 _There was hesitation and I grew scared that I was once again alone in the darkness. But the voice spoke once more, soft and tender, a hint of hesitation in his tone._

 _"I am Fen'Harel and you must not die."_

The pain in the palm of my left hand was great. It was the first thing that I took note of when rising from the depths of unconsciousness. My eyes flew open as the pain rose to a crescendo. I caught a flash of green light, but was distracted by the door slamming open, two humans approaching me. I finally realized that I was chained, kneeling on a cobblestone floor, guards surrounding me with swords.

 _'What happened?'_ I thought to myself, watching the black-haired woman with wariness. _'I only remember being at the Temple and then…a woman? That makes no sense...'_

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now." The black-haired woman's voice was a snap of rage and pain, catching my attention fully. "The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for _you."_

I could feel my eyes go wide, staring up into the woman's face. I could find no words, no recollections of what had occurred, and no way to explain myself.

' _Perhaps silence is my savior in this moment,'_ I thought to myself, looking down at the stone floor, unable to meet the dark gray gaze of the woman in front of me.

A hand darted forward, snatching my manacles and jerking my hand up in front of my face. "Explain _this!"_

I clamped down on the pain as the mark on my hand flared to life, sending a fresh wave of agony up my arm.

"I…can't," I choked out, fighting against the tears.

"What do you mean, you can't?"

"I don't know what that is or how it got there."

"You're lying!"

I flinched away as the woman drew back, expecting the blow. But it never came. The silent, red-haired woman had stepped forward, putting herself between myself and the enraged warrior. "We need her, Cassandra."

I raised my head, the tears streaming freely down my face now. "I can't believe it. All those people…dead."

"Do you remember what happened? How this began?"

I closed my eyes, trying to focus on the tendril of a memory nagging at the back of my mind. "I remember running. Things were chasing me. And then…a woman?"

"A woman?" The red-haired woman seemed genuinely curious, raising an eyebrow.

"She reached out to me, but then…" I frowned, struggling to remember. Fear began to run through my veins once more as the one called Cassandra stepped between myself and the red-head.

"Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the rift."

I watched as Leliana left the room, my eyes trained on Cassandra. I knew that I couldn't trust her; anger was not an emotion that could be trusted. Against my better judgment I decided to speak, meeting the woman's stormy gaze.

"What did happen?" I questioned, tilting my head to one side.

Cassandra pulled me to my feet, replacing the manacles with rope. I only winced once as she tied it tight, the rope biting into my wrists.

"It will be easier to show you." I followed her outside, wincing at the brilliant light. As my eyes adjusted, my jaw fell slack at the sight of the giant, gaping hole in the sky. "We call it the Breach. It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour. It's not the only such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the conclave."

"An explosion can do that?" I choked out, gaze unwavering from the Breach.

"This one did," Cassandra replied, voice filled with bitterness. "Unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world."

The mark on my hand flared and I fell, letting out a cry of pain. I panted for air as it subsided, sweat breaking out on my brow. I looked up to see Cassandra kneeling in front of me. I noted that there was a slight bit of sympathy in her gaze at my pain.

"Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads and it is killing you." I looked down at it, feeling sick to my stomach. "It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."

"If I can help, I will," I responded immediately. "If this thing is killing me, I may as well make use of it. You have my word that I will do what I can until I draw my last breath."

For the first time since I'd woken, she gave me a small smile. "That is an attitude that I can respect and appreciate. Come, we must go."

We walked through the townspeople and I could feel the eyes of all of those present on me. The hatred was overwhelming and I fought the urge to cower behind Cassandra.

"They have decided your guilt," Cassandra explained as we walked. "They need it. The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry. The Conclave was hers. It was a chance for peace between mages and Templars. She brought their leaders together. Now, they are dead."

"Even though I did not cause this, I am sorry for the loss of the Divine. While I have no ties to the Chantry, I respected the woman for what she was trying to do." I responded, continuing to walk behind her through the gate.

Cassandra pulled out a dagger and I jerked away. She grabbed me, cutting the ropes from my wrists. "There will be a trial. I can promise no more. Now come, it is not far."

"Where are we going?" I rubbed at my wrists as I followed close behind her.

"We must test your mark on a smaller rift. If it does not work, then keeping you alive was in vain."

"I'm glad that I'm so expendable to you all."

"As far as I am concerned, you are expendable until it is proven you are innocent. And I doubt that you are innocent."

I could feel the rush of power up my arm and while I tried to contain the spark of the mark, it was too great for my will. I fell to my knees once more, clutching my arm to my chest. Tears sprung to my eyes and my vision doubled. A hand grabbed underneath my elbow, hoisting me to my feet.

"The pulses are coming faster now. The larger the Breach grows, the more rifts appear, the more demons we face."

"Demons?"

"Yes. That is what the rift in the sky and in this world produces. They pour from them like water and attack anything around them that moves."

"How did I survive the blast?" I questioned, trying to distract myself from the pain still pulsing in the palm of my hand.

"They said you…stepped out of a rift, then fell unconscious. They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was. Everything farther in the valley was laid waste, including the Temple of Sacred Ashes. I suppose you'll see soon enough."

"If your witnesses say they saw a woman standing behind me, why did you not believe me earlier?" I demanded, stopping in my tracks in the middle of the bridge. "You are accusing me with no facts, no solid evidence that I committed any crime! You're looking for a scapegoat and you chose me when, if I _am_ the only person to have survived, you should be doing your best to keep me alive!"

Cassandra stepped towards me, eyes blazing. A knife was pressed to my throat, but I stared up at her defiantly now, knowing that until they tested the mark, she would not kill me. "It was a spell gone wrong, one that you cast, _mage_. Be glad that-"

I caught a glimpse of movement to the left and before I could stop myself, I was grabbing Cassandra's wrist, yanking her to the right out of the way of the meteor. There was a sharp bite of pain as her blade caught the side of my neck, but I ignored it, trying to avoid the crumbling bits of bridge as we tumbled to the frozen river below.

I shook myself, getting to my feet to find Cassandra already standing at the ready with her sword. "Stay behind me!"

I looked around, trying to find some sort of weapon. My heart leapt to my throat as I spotted a Staff of Lightning sticking out of some broken boxes. I pulled at it, turning in time to see a Shade heading directly for me. I smiled, knowing that now it was my time for revenge.

I cast my first spell, dodging expertly out of the way as the creature reached for me, long claws ripping downwards to eviscerate me. I swung my torso to face the beast, casting another spell to paralyze it. As I watched the spell hit the creature, I turned to Cassandra, who faced two more shades. I slammed the staff into the ground, watching as the lightning raced through the ice, running up into the shades.

I realized almost too late that my shade had become un-paralyzed. I rolled at the last moment, casting a finishing spell, watching as a bolt of lightning came down from the sky, striking the creature, burning it to a crisp. Turning back, I found Cassandra being overrun, trying to hold the shades at bay. I rushed forward, using the staff to block what would have been a debilitating blow to the warrior.

I smiled into the ghastly face, feeling the magic course through my veins. It exploded through the staff, driving the demon back. As it staggered, I grabbed Cassandra's dagger from her hip, throwing it into the shade's face. It let out a shriek before disappearing into a pile of glowing green remains.

Cassandra finished off her attacker and I walked towards the pile. I picked the dagger from the remains, wiping it on my breeches before turning to offer it to Cassandra. I came face to face with her blade, her eyes filled with fear.

"Drop your weapon. _Now!_ "

"You're joking, right?" I leaned on the staff, frowning. "No, I can tell by the look on your face that you're not. All right. Have it your way."

I tossed my staff to the ice in front of her. She continued to watch me with suspicion, as if expecting me to retaliate. For a moment, her gaze softened and she let her sword drop. Movement caught my attention and I rushed forward, shoving her out of the way as a shade appeared from behind a rock, slashing out at her. I raised my hands in front of me, sending a ball of lightning from the palms of my hands. It knocked the creature back into the rock face, sliding down the black rock with a streak of green blood in its wake.

"You…you saved me!"

"Yes, I did. I was debating on whether or not I should tell you that I can cast magic without a staff, but I decided not to." I bent down to pick up the staff once again. "May I keep this?"

Cassandra nodded, shoving her sword back into its sheath. "I cannot protect you, and I cannot expect you to be defenseless. I should remember that you agreed to come willingly."

We continued onward, encountering more shades and some wraiths as well. While I did not enjoy the idea of being her captive and potentially being put to death for an atrocity I had no part in, I could appreciate what a fierce warrior Cassandra was. I tended to keep back out of the way, casting spells and holding the spirits at bay. We stood at the bottom of a staircase, Cassandra catching her breath. I offered her one of the healing potions that she'd given me after our first battle and she gratefully accepted, drinking from it deeply. She'd been slashed open by one of the shades as it had broken her guard. I'd held it off so that she could retreat, but then it had started coming after me.

I watched as she recovered, hearing fighting in the distance, a green glow shining over the top of the staircase. "What is that?"

"We're getting close to the rift. I know you can hear the fighting."

"Who's fighting?" I asked, helping Cassandra to her feet.

"You'll see soon. We must help them." She took off up the stairs two at a time.

I kept pace with her easily and as we rounded the corner, I caught my first glimpse of a rift up close. I rushed forward, leaping down from the stone wall to join the fray among the burning rubble. I moved to defend the soldiers and the dwarf and other mage, placing myself between them and the demons. I cast a wall of lightning, watching as those who crossed it became paralyzed. Smiling, I whirled the staff above my head, casting three bolts of lightning to strike the remaining shades.

A stream of ice and a volley of arrows joined my strikes and the shades crumbled with a flash of green light, leaving nothing behind. The mage grabbed my wrist, jerking me forward to face the rift.

"Quickly, before more come through!"

I looked over at him, taking no heed as the mark and the rift connected. I recognized his voice and I could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew it too.

 _'Fen'Harel,'_ I thought to him, turning my gaze up to the rift, watching as it exploded, leaving a gray-green sky in its wake. _'You were the one who spoke to me while I was unconscious. An elven God-_ my _eleven God- here…the Great Wolf.'_

 _'You must not say anything,'_ he warned, letting my wrist go, stepping away from me. _'We may speak of this after we close the Breach.'_

"What did you do?" I murmured, touching the glowing mark.

" _I_ did nothing." He gave me a small smile, but I could tell that my knowledge troubled him greatly. "The credit is yours."

I raised my hand up to my eyes, inspecting it. "At least this is good for something. Does this mean that you won't kill me now, Cassandra?"

"It was not my place to choose to kill you or not. That is the choice of the Chantry." Cassandra turned to the other elven mage. "What does this mean, Solas?"

"Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized that the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake and it seems that I was correct."

"You sound relieved." I raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't tell me that Lady Cassandra threatened you too."

"No, not at all."

I looked up to the Breach in the sky. "That means that it could also close the Breach itself."

"Possibly." Solas- Fen'Harel- whoever the elven mage was, stepped next to me, looking up at the sky as well. "It seems you hold the key to our salvation."

"Good to know!" I turned to look at the dwarf, who had a cross bow slung over his shoulder. "Here I thought we'd be ass deep in demons forever."

I chuckled. "Not if I can help it. You are?"

"Varric Tethras." He gave me an over-the-top bow. "I'm a rogue, storyteller, and occasionally an unwelcome tagalong."

Varric gave Cassandra a wink and I had to bite back a laugh as she glared at the dwarf. I inspected the crossbow on his back, nodding appreciatively at its craftsmanship. "That's a nice crossbow you have there."

"Ah, isn't she?" He slung it off his shoulder, offering it up to me for inspection. "Bianca and I have been through a lot together."

"You named your crossbow Bianca?"

"Of course. And she'll be great company in the valley."

Cassandra stepped forward, arms crossed. "Absolutely not. Your help is appreciated, Varric, but-"

"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker?" Varric challenged, closing the gap between them. "Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me."

The Seeker let out a noise of disgust and I touched her arm. She turned to me, surprised. "We need them. You and I struggled on our own up here. If they are offering help as I offered, I would not reject it."

She shook her head, letting out a sigh. "You are right. We could use their help."

I stepped away from her, looking about to figure the next plan of action. The elven mage stepped forward, dipping his head to me. "My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I'm pleased to see you still live."

"My name is Brithari, but you may call me Bri. It is easier for most people to pronounce." I clenched and unclenched my hand, trying to fight against the discomfort. "You seem to know a great deal about all of this, Solas."

"Like you, Solas is an apostate," Cassandra answered, stepping towards the gate that led down to the valley, pushing against it to see if it would open.

"Technically, all mages are now apostates, Cassandra." I could hear the iciness in Solas' tone. "My travels have allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed regardless of origin."

"Very true. What will you do once this is all over? As apostates, we are not welcomed by many."

"One hopes that those in power will remember who helped, and who did not."

I looked over at him, seeing a frown on his face. "They will remember. Even if we must make them."

"Well, I hope you're right." Solas turned to the Seeker. "Cassandra, you should know the magic involved here is unlike any I have ever seen. Your prisoner is a mage, but I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power."

"If I may add, you have seen my powers. I deal with lightning for the most part and have only just begun to dabble in fire. Creating something like that," I jerked my head towards the Breach, "would take many mages and a specialty in rift magic."

"Understood." I fought the urge to smile as I saw the doubt flicker in her eyes. "We must get to the forward camp quickly."

"Well, Bianca's excited!"

"May I say that I like your enthusiasm, Varric?" I gave the dwarf a smile, heading towards the rubble, looking for a way down.

Cassandra leapt up onto a part of the damaged wall, looking down. "This way, down the bank. The road ahead is blocked."

Solas took my hand for a brief second, leading me to the wall where Cassandra had jumped down. "We must move quickly. The mark on your hand continues to grow."

"You're right. And I have many questions that are being left unanswered," I responded, climbing up onto the wall to follow. "You promise that you will tell me what is going on when we reach safety?"

"As much as I can, yes."

We walked down the bank, following Cassandra and Varric to the forward camp. There were demons ahead of us, but were dispatched of quickly by our merry band of fighters. Solas strode alongside me, using his staff to stabilize himself on the ice.

"You are Dalish, but clearly away from the rest of your clan. Did they send you here?"

I shook my head. "I have no clan. I was cast out."

"Cast out?"

"Too many magic users and no clans that could take me. I walk the roads alone, teaching myself what I can about magic and how to control it." I looked at him curiously. "What do you know of the Dalish?"

"I have wandered many roads in my time, and crossed path with them on more than one occasion." Solas frowned. "If you are not a part of the Dalish clan, why do you have the vallaslin?"

I touched the marks on my face, smiling sadly. "I gave it to myself on what I believed to be my sixteenth nameday. They were shown to me in a dream and when I woke I drew them out in the dirt. I believed them to be a sign of my protector, the one who walked with me in the wilds, keeping me safe."

"Oh?" Solas seemed genuinely curious. "Who do you believe that to be?"

I felt my face flush with embarrassment, not wanting to tell Solas if my suspicions were correct. "I believed it to be Fen'Harel. The Dalish who I have met called him the Dread Wolf, but I do not believe that correct. All Dalish have shunned me when I tell them that and explain to them my vallaslin."

"What do you believe correct?"

"I hate to break up a peaceful discussion between elves, Maker knows we need more of them, but let's keep moving," Varric called over his shoulder. "It is nice to see you elves play nice for once at least."

"Have you met many elves, Varric?"

"Enough to know that when the Dalish and the city elves meet, it is not a pretty sight. I-"

I stumbled forward, the mark flaring up, driving me to my knees again. I bit down on my tongue, tasting blood immediately. A gentle hand touched my shoulder and Solas knelt next to me.

"My magic cannot stop the mark from growing further. For your sake, I suggest we hurry."

"Thank you," I gasped out, struggling to my feet, spitting the blood into the snow. "I'll be fine. I know we must get to the Breach."

We began to climb the steps in silence, my mind racing as I tried to remember what had happened. I was always trying to process the idea that I was walking beside an elven God. I kept casting glances in his direction, trying to picture him looking more regal and gentle, as I had seen in my dreams in the forest. Varric broke the silence as we climbed.

"So… _are_ you innocent?"

"As far as I'm aware, yes. I don't remember what happened, only that my intentions for coming were to see the Divine in person. I wished to speak with her about the treatment of elves that were cast from the Dalish clan and had no home." I frowned, remembering many a young elf that I had found half-starved in the woods. "There are far too many who are lost to the cold and starvation simply because they had magic running through their veins."

"Not remembering will get you every time. Should have spun a story."

"That's what _you_ would have done," Cassandra grumbled.

"It's more believable and less prone to result in premature execution," Varric explained.

"True, but I never was much of a storyteller. No silver tongue, unfortunately." I stuck my tongue out, eliciting a laugh from Varric. "I'm glad someone finds me funny."

"You know, Bri, for an elf who is about to potentially face execution if they don't die trying to close the Breach, you have a great sense of humor."

"Now that I was gifted with." I raised my staff as we got to the top of the stairs, spotting four more demons. "I was also gifted with a fighting spirit. The one to kill the last demon wins!"

I dodged in, casting a lightning sigil on the ground, bringing their attention to me. They all began dragging themselves closer, ignoring as the others struck them. As they touched the sigil, it exploded, paralyzing all of them. I focused my attention on the bigger shade, knowing that it would be much tougher to overcome than the others.

When they were dispatched, I moved to straighten up, only to realize that my side had been slashed open. I fumbled for a potion, trying to ignore the bleeding. Solas appeared in front of me, pressing a bottle to my lips. I drank deeply, finishing the bottle before looking down at what had been my torn side. The wound was healing itself.

"Thank you. I couldn't find my potions."

"You're welcome." He dropped his voice. "The Great Wolf always takes care of those who look for him."

My heart leapt to my throat and I met his blue-gray gaze. "Are you saying that you're…?"

We stepped away from one another as the Lady Seeker approached, looking worried. "I hope Leliana made it through all this."

"She's resourceful, Seeker."

"We will see for ourselves," Solas said to Varric. "We're almost there. Come, Brithari."

I followed them up the hill, taking in the death and destruction of the world around us. It broke my heart to see everything in ruins. I did not know these people, but having walked alone, I had learned that every life was important, every being filled with a unique energy that could never be recreated.

"Another rift!" Cassandra cried as she reached the top of the steps.

"We must seal it, quickly!"

I ran up the stairs, diving headfirst into the battle, hearing the cries for help from the soldiers. As the last wraith was dispatched, I raised my hand above my head, throwing all of my will into closing the rift. Once more I connected with it, but this time there was no pain. Instead it was almost welcome, a cooling sensation running down my arm, chilling the nameless fever that burned inside me.

When I felt the connection reach its peak, I closed my hand into a fist, snapping my hand back. It came to me naturally and when I looked back up to where the rift had been, it was gone, leaving behind no evidence it had ever even existed.

Cassandra shouted for the gate to be opened and we strode in. I could immediately spot Leliana and judging by her body posture, she was very unhappy. As we approached, I could hear the argument. Instinctively, I wanted to avoid the confrontation, but instead I lifted my chin and straightened my spine, walking towards it head-on.

"Ah, here they come."

"You made it!" Leliana exclaimed, turning to us. "Chancellor Roderick, this is-"

"I know who _she_ is." The man sneered, going to stand in front of me, attempting to intimidate me. "As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal to Val Royeaux to face execution."

To my surprise, Cassandra stepped between myself and the Chancellor. "Order me? You are a glorified clerk. A bureaucrat!"

"And you are a thug, but a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!"

"We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor, as you well know."

I could tell that Leliana was trying to keep the peace between all of them. I looked to Solas for comfort, dipping my head and closing my eyes.

 _'Fen'Harel, I do not wish to die. I will if I must, if it means that this world will continue existing, but I do not wish to die without fulfilling my purpose. Guide me, Great Wolf.'_

"Justinia is dead!" Roderick shouted and I could feel his eyes on me, glaring at me. "We must elect her replacement and obey her orders on the matter."

"Isn't closing the Breach the more pressing issue?" I demanded, side-stepping Cassandra and Leliana.

" _You_ brought this on us in the first place!" Roderick snapped, wagging his finger in my face.

"Even if I _did_ bring this onto all of Thedas- which I _didn't_ \- why on earth would you execute the one person who could possibly fix the problem? I am offering myself up to die willingly when I do not have to!" I glared at the man, refusing to give in. "You would be a fool to send me away."

"Call a retreat, Seeker." Roderick turned to Cassandra now as he realized that I would not back down. "Our position here is hopeless."

"We can stop this before it's too late."

"How? You won't survive long enough to reach the temple, even with all your soldiers."

"We must get to the temple. It's the quickest route."

"But not the safest," Leliana argued. "Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains."

"We lost contact with an entire squad on that path. It's too risky," Cassandra countered, turning to face Leliana now, bristling for a confrontation.

"Listen to me. Abandon this now, before more lives are lost."

I watched as the Breach expanded and the pain in my hand flared up, the green tendrils working their way up my wrist.

"How do _you_ think we should proceed Bri?"

I paused for a moment, in shock that they would ask me. I ran through all options in my head, taking account for how difficult it had been to even make it to the forward camp. While I didn't like Roderick, he had seen enough to scare him into believing things were hopeless, even if they weren't in my eyes.

"It is too risky to traverse the mountain path on our own with no back-up. We struggled to make it up here with the four of us. I say we charge." I turned to Roderick. "Either way I go to my death. This is my trial. Should I survive, my God will have deemed me innocent. Whatever happens, happens now."

We began to move forward as the troops began to gather around us. As we left to head for the temple, I heard Roderick call after us. "On your head be the consequences, Seeker."

I felt ill as I looked at the destruction, the soldiers moving ahead of us to clear a path. So many bodies, so much fire. The scent of burnt flesh clogged my nostrils. I pressed a hand to my stomach, fighting the urge to vomit.

"Are you alright?" Solas asked as we fell behind.

"I have seen dead bodies, I have fought in battle. But this, sheer senseless destruction...it's heartbreaking."

"Why do you care? This world shunned you."

"Why don't you?" I asked in return, focusing my eyes on the next doorway, trying to ignore the dead. "Whether you like them or not, all of them are unique. Good, bad, or indifferent. They may not see what you see or what I see, but they do see things. They feel things. Can you imagine the pain and terror they felt in their last moments? And yet they pushed past it to provide a life for others in the name of the greater good."

Solas grew quiet, his eyes far away. "You are not wrong. But there is much you have to learn about this world. Your life, for the most part, has been spent alone. You have not interacted with these humans or those that cast you out enough to be able to make a sound judgment call on their nature."

"True, but-"

"Be wary, another Fade rift," Solas warned, interrupting me.

"Let's go then."

"How many rifts _are_ there?!" Varric cried as we plunged into battle.

"Enough to make life difficult!" I shouted back to him, casting a wall of lightning to protect the soldiers that were surrounded.

"We must seal it if we are to get past!" Solas cast a freezing spell, giving me an opening to access the rift. "Go, Brithari!"

"Quickly then!" Cassandra shouted as I ran past her, going to stand underneath it.

I threw my hand into the air, the connection coming instantly. I felt the energy building and I closed my fist, watching as the rift collapsed in on itself. Instead of fading though, it began to crackle and spark with energy. I shifted nervously, watching as two more demons burst from the ground, immediately heading for me.

Surprisingly, both Solas and Cassandra were there, fending them off. Varric was taking care of them with his arrows and they made quick work of them. I reached up towards the rift once more as they disappeared and this time the energy felt right in the palm of my hand. I looked up as I sealed the rift, watching as it disappeared from existence.

"Sealed, as before," Solas commented, inspecting the mark on my hand. "You are becoming quite proficient at this."

"Let's hope it works on the big one," Varric grumbled, leaning on Bianca. "I don't know how many more demons I can fight."

"Lady Cassandra!" One of the soldiers called, running up to us. "You managed to close the rift? Well done."

"Do not congratulate me, Commander. This is the pris- this is Brithari's doing."

"Bri for short." I shifted my staff from my right hand to my left, holding out my hand. "You are?"

"Commander Cullen," he responded curtly, refusing to shake my hand. "I hope they're right about you. We've lost a lot of people getting you here."

"I can safely say that you're not the only one hoping that." I let my hand drop to my side. "I will do my best to close it."

"We'll see soon enough, won't we." The Commander turned to Cassandra. "The way to the temple should be clear. Leliana will try to meet you there."

"We'd best move quickly. Give us time, Commander."

"Maker watch over you- for all our sakes."

Cullen helped a soldier hobble away and I started up the path, not bothering to wait for the others. Determination was growing in my heart. I would stop this. I had to. This was bigger than me, bigger than anything I had ever encountered. The others caught up and Varric let out a low whistle.

"The Temple of Sacred Ashes," Solas murmured, looking around, shaking his head.

"What's left of it."

I rounded the corner, spotting the rift that had made the Breach. I let out a shaky breath as I stared at it with wide eyes.

"That is where you walked out of the Fade and our soldiers found you. They said a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was."

"I wish I could remember...I've been trying, but it's blank."

"The breach _is_ a long way up."

"Varric, I could make a joke, but I'm too nice."

He laughed, nudging me playfully in the side. "Lay it on me, elf. It's not like I've never heard them before."

"Well, isn't-"

"You're here!" I turned to see Leliana behind us with some soldiers. "Thank the Maker."

"Leliana, have your men take up positions around the temple," Cassandra ordered, turning to me. "This is your chance to end this. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I will ever be. I don't know if I can reach and even if I can, I'm not sure that I can close it. It's gigantic compared to the little ones we've been closing."

"This rift was the first and is the key. Seal it and perhaps we seal the Breach."

"Let's find a way down. And be careful."

Walking through the ruins, I found myself continually drawn to the rift. I was trying to come up with a plan on how to close it, but found that none of them even seemed plausible. I could only hope that the mark would reach.

I shivered as a voice echoed all around us. It was familiar and yet unfamiliar all at once. "Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice."

"What are we hearing?" Cassandra asked, awestruck.

"At a guess, the person who created the Breach." Solas looked to me over his shoulder. "That does not sound like you it seems."

I nodded, rounding the corner. I winced at the brilliance of the red rocks spearing through the ground and ruined walls. I had never seen anything so...hypnotizing before. I reached out to touch it, but Varric slapped my hand.

"This stuff is red lyrium! Don't touch it Bri! What's it doing here?"

"Magic could have drawn on lyrium beneath the temple, corrupted it." Solas inspected it, careful to not touch.

"Seeker, it's red lyrium."

"I see it, Varric."

"It's evil. Like I said, don't touch it."

"Keep the sacrifice still," the nameless voice said.

"Someone, help me!"

"That is Divine Justinia's voice!" Cassandra gasped.

My heart began to pound away in my chest. I recognized the woman's voice. I couldn't remember meeting her in my life, but I recognized it immediately.

"Someone, help me!" She cried again as we approached, the mark flaring up.

"What's going on here?" The color drained from my face as I realized it was my voice speaking now.

"That was _your_ voice. Most Holy called out to you. But…"

I shielded my eyes against a white flash and found myself facing a large floating being with red eyes holding a woman who must have been the Divine. A spectral version of myself appeared, taking in the scene.

"What's going on here?" My spectral-self demanded, looking at the creature.

"Run while you can!" The Divine cried. "Warn them!"

"We have an intruder." My spectral version's hands sparked with lightning as the shadow-being turned to me. "Slay the elf."

There was another flash of light and I watched as the scene disappeared, leaving the Fade rift twinkling in its wake. Cassandra jerked me by my shoulder to face her. "You _were_ there! Who attacked? And the Divine, is she...was this vision true? What are we seeing?"

"I don't remember!" I shouted, stepping away from her. "Fen'Harel's blessing, if I remembered, I would tell you!"

"They are echoes of what happened here," Solas said quickly, jumping in to head off another confrontation. "The Fade bleeds into this place. This rift is not sealed, but it is closed. I believe with the mark, the rift can be opened and then sealed properly and safely."

"That's perfect. Let's get started!"

Solas held up his hand. "Opening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side. Who knows what will come pouring through once it is opened."

With that new knowledge, I took my position, looking up at the rift, trying to find the strength in me to rip it open no matter what might be on the other side.

"Stand ready!"

I let out a breath, raising my hand above me, turning my head away. I could feel it rip open and when I opened my eyes, I found myself face to face with a beast of incredible size.

"A Pride demon!" Solas shouted to me. "Move Brithari!"

I rolled out of the way as it's fist came crashing down where I had been standing.

"Now!" Cassandra shouted, motioning for the archers to shoot. I watched in horror as the demon laughed, shrugging off the arrows, swiping at the archers. "We much strip its defenses! Wear it down!"

I threw my hand up to the rift, hoping and praying that I was making the right choice as I tried to disrupt the flow of energy to the beast. It worked, the beast letting out a roar of pain, charging towards me. My staff was out and I began to throw every spell that I could think of as it approached, trying to slow it. The soldiers and Cassandra attacked it as well, but it let out another laugh.

I bared my teeth, running around the ruins to put some distance between the Pride demon and myself. I raised my hand again, throwing my will at the rift, trying to get it to close. Again, there was another roar of pain and this time through the rift came shades and other creatures. I fought them off, feeling the exhaustion settling into my bones.

I refused to give in, leaning on my staff for support as the Pride demon let out another laugh. I stood there, staring at the demon as I felt the energy build in the palm of my hand.

"Look here you ugly son-of-a-bitch!" I shouted, glaring at the demon, making it pause. "Why don't you die already?!"

The rift exploded and it let out another howl of pain. I began to cast my spells, throwing a sigil down in front of me as well as a wall. It came barreling through the sigil, barely pausing as it exploded underfoot. It hit the lightning wall, immediately becoming paralyzed. I grabbed a sword from a dead soldier next to me, driving it straight into its chest.

"Go back to the Fade where you belong, you beast!" I sent lightning coursing through the sword, shocking the demon.

It fell backwards, crashing to the ground with a groan. I turned back to the rift, where it was waiting patiently for me to close it. I stumbled forward, raising my hand in front of me, trying to ride the wave of adrenaline, ignoring the pain and fatigue.

"Seal the rift!" I heard Cassandra cry. "Do it!"

I focused my will, putting every last drop into it that I could. My vision began fading, my heart beating too loud in my ears. Still I continued, knowing that if death should claim me, it would at least be for the greater good. My vision was gone, but still I could feel the connection as I collapsed to my knees. The Fade was draining my very soul from my body, but I couldn't find the energy to care.

' _The end has come for me. Good-bye, Fen'Harel, if that was who you truly were. Thank you for guiding me.'_

I slipped into unconsciousness, suspended once more in darkness.

* * *

I jerked awake, taking a huge gasp as I did. My head was throbbing and my mouth felt dry. Sitting up quickly, I spotted a young elven woman walking in. She dropped the things in her hands, trembling as she stared at me.

"Oh! I didn't know you were awake, I swear!"

"Don't worry about it. I only just woke. Do you-?"

I watched as she fell to her knees, pressing her forehead to the floor. "I beg your forgiveness and your blessing. I am but a humble servant."

I rose from the bed, lifting her to her feet. "Please don't bow to me. Tell me, where am I?"

"You're back in Haven, my lady. They say you saved us. The breach stopped growing, just like the mark on your hand. It's all anyone has talked about for the last three days!"

"Three days?" I murmured, pressing my fingers to my temple. "The danger is over, then?"

"The Breach is still in the sky," the elven maid confessed. "But that's what they say. The danger is over. I'm sure Lady Cassandra will want to know you've awakened. She said 'at once'!"

"Where is she?"

"In the Chantry with the Lord Chancellor. 'At once,' she said!"

I watched as the woman scurried away, shaking my head. I found a water pitcher next to the bed and took several large gulps of it, wiping at my mouth. I straightened my tunic, finger combing my hair the best I could, and then I headed out the door. I winced at the sunlight, shielding my eyes so that they could adjust.

When they did, I saw a sight that both disturbed me and brought joy to my soul.

On either side of the path stood soldiers, their fists pressed to their chests to show their fealty to me. The men and women of Haven stood beside them, whispering to themselves. I could overhear bits and pieces of the conversations and more than once heard the words Herald of Andraste pass from between their lips.

' _I am no Herald. And if I was I am certainly not_ Andraste's _herald. Why on earth would they think this?'_ I looked up in time to see a soldier saluting me, the others snapping to attention. _'I understand that these people need hope, but they must understand that I am an elf. I am the last person that Andraste would choose to call upon.'_

I entered the Chantry, trying to shake the feeling of all of their eyes staring at me with hope that I was what they needed. As I entered the building, I could hear the shouting from down the hall.

"Have you gone completely mad?!" Roderick's was the first voice I could understand. "She should be taken to Val Royeaux immediately, to be tried by whomever becomes Divine."

"I do not believe she is guilty." Cassandra sounded calm and it gave me hope that she had finally come to her senses.

"The elf failed, Seeker. The Breach is still in the sky. For all you know, she intended it this way."

"I saw how she fought. I heard what she said while fighting the Pride demon. That sort of determination is not shown for someone who wants their own plan to fail. I do not believe that."

"That is not for you to decide. Your duty is to serve the Chantry."

"My duty is to serve the principles on which the Chantry was founded, Chancellor. As is yours."

I was tired of listening to the two of them bicker and I opened the door, pushing inside. I gave a brief nod to Cassandra and Leliana, going to stand at the table in front of Roderick, hands clasped behind my back.

"Chain her!" He ordered, pointing his finger in my direction with disgust. "I want her prepared for travel to the capital for trial."

"Disregard that, and leave us," Cassandra ordered.

The guards saluted the Seeker, departing the room. I couldn't help but smile as Roderick's face flushed with fury.

"You walk a dangerous line, Seeker." Roderick warned.

"The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat. I will not ignore it."

"I did everything I could to close the Breach," I interjected. "I felt my soul slipping from my body as I threw every ounce of energy into closing it. It almost killed me."

"Yet, you live. A convenient result, insofar as you're concerned," the Chancellor spat at me.

"Have a care, Chancellor. The Breach is not the only threat we face."

"Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave," Leliana said, trying to inject her calm demeanor into the conversation. "It was someone Most Holy did not expect. Perhaps they died with the others- or have allies who yet live."

" _I_ am a suspect?" Roderick wrinkled his nose, recoiling from Leliana as if she had hissed at him.

"You, and many others," Leliana replied, her spine straightening as she glared at the Chancellor.

"But _not_ the prisoner."

"I heard the voices in the temple." Cassandra spoke now, commanding the attention of all those in the room. "The Divine called to her for help."

"So her survival, that _thing_ on her hand- all a coincidence?"

"Providence. The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour."

"You realize I'm an elf. One who follows her own God and does not believe in the Maker, correct?"

"I have not forgotten. No matter what you are, or what you believe, you are exactly what we needed when we needed it." Cassandra frowned. "Even if you do not believe in the Maker, you believe in doing what is right and that is something I can support."

"The Breach remains and your mark is our only hope of closing it," Leliana confessed.

"That is not for you to decide!"

I watched as Cassandra slammed a book down onto the table. "You know what this is, Chancellor? A writ from the Divine, granting us authority to act. As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn."

Cassandra began to stalk him, backing him into a wall. "We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order with or without your approval!"

Roderick scurried away, slamming the door behind him. I applauded Cassandra, returning the smile that she gave me. "That was a fantastic speech, Lady Seeker."

"Thank you."

Leliana approached the table, tapping the book with her finger. "This is the Divine's directive. Rebuild the Inquisition of old. Find those who will stand against the chaos. We aren't ready. We have no leader, no numbers, and now no Chantry support."

"But we have no choice. We must act now." Cassandra hesitated. "With you at our side."

"If you're trying to restore order...then I will help."

"Help us fix this before it's too late." Cassandra said, offering her hand to me.

I took it, shaking it firmly. "I will help with your Inquisition. Now let's go and set things right."

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. There were so many plans to be made, letters to write, people to contact. By the time we finished, it was well past nightfall. I staggered into the small house where I was staying. I knew that before I laid down for the night, I needed to pray. It had become a ritual of sorts, one that I had not missed since I had been a small child.

"Fen'Harel, Great Wolf, hear my prayers. Guide my footsteps through this world. Keep me silent, keep me swift, keep me safe. Hunt beside me during battle and lay next to me and protect me during sleep. Stay by my side, wherever I may travel, and help lead me down your path of solitude. All that I am, all that I have ever been, and all that I will ever be, I owe to you and your guidance."

"Let my howl be heard, let my teeth stay sharp, and let my courage stay strong in the face of all challenges. In your name, I send this prayer to the Fade for you to hear."

"Do you always pray?"

I turned to look over my shoulder, finding Solas leaning against the doorway. "Do you always sneak up on people?"

"Only when I wish to speak with them. Come. Walk with me."

I rose from beside the bed, following Solas wordlessly. We walked through the sleeping town, the starlight guiding our way. We stopped as we cleared the camps and I looked to the Breach in the sky.

"I regret not being able to close it."

"Why? You did everything that you could. You were not strong enough. But, with time, you could become strong enough to close it."

"You have a plan then?"

Solas nodded. "I always have a plan. The humans will come to you tomorrow and speak to you. They are looking to you for guidance."

"Me? But I'm an elf!"

"Yes, but you are also their only hope of salvation."

I turned to him, struggling with how to approach him. I decided to be blunt. "I have many questions that I need you to answer."

"I know. I have time for some, but not all."

"No lies, no tricks?"

"No. I doubt that I would be able to. I made a mistake by speaking to you while you were unconscious and now I will face the consequences."

"Are you Fen'Harel?"

"Straight to the point. Yes, I am."

"Have you heard my prayers before tonight?"

He nodded, sitting down on the ground, motioning for me to do the same. "I have heard your prayers every night you have said them. Yours is the only voice that I ever hear anymore. When I realized that you had been harmed at the Chantry...I had to intervene."

I sat down next to him, crossing one leg over the other, staring up at the Breach. "You...care then? The Dalish always tried to say that you put the Gods away and then you went and laughed at the chaos you created."

"Do you believe that?"

I shook my head, tucking a strand of my white hair behind my ear. "No. I never believed it, not even when they tried to convince me with their stories. Everyone has a reason as to why they do something. If you did lock the other Gods away, there must have been a reason and it cannot be easy to put your friends away. I believe you went away because your heart was broken and you were tired."

We sat in silence, continuing to stare up at the sky. Finally, I turned to him, watching as silent tears slipped down his cheeks.

"Will you tell me your reason as to why you locked them away Fen'Harel?" I urged, trying to keep my voice soft. "I could begin to spread the word and-"

"No! You must not. Not right now. The fact that you even know who I am-"

"I will not tell anyone!"

"I know that you won't. You have been devout in your prayers and have shown me loyalty when all others turned their back." Solas touched my hand, giving me a watery smile. "You have a beautiful soul, Brithari. Never let anyone take that from you. Not even me."

He pressed a kiss to my forehead and I let out a gasp, eyes flying open to stare up at the ceiling. My fingers touched the spot where Fen'Harel had pressed a kiss. I shook my head, trying to clear the dream from my mind.

"A dream then? But...it was so real...perhaps I can ask Fe-, Solas, about it later today. Provided that Cassandra and Leliana don't keep me busy."

I began to get ready, preparing for the long day ahead of me.


	2. Chapter 2

***Hello! I've completed the second chapter to this. I wasn't expecting to get it done so quickly, but here it is! I hope you all like it. I'm not sure what direction I'm going to take this in, who Brithari is going to be friends with, and what choices she's going to make, but that's the fun of writing isn't it? Let me know what you all think and I will see you all in the next chapter!***

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

As I strode from the small house, I found most of the town still asleep. The dawn was only just beginning to peak over the horizon. I decided to walk around and learn the town and its outskirts. I strapped my staff to my back and headed towards the main gate. I slipped out of the gate, immediately on alert for anything out of the ordinary.

I could hear some of the soldiers stirring in their tents, getting ready for the day. One particular soldier caught my eye and I approached Commander Cullen, who stood at the edge of the lake, admiring the rising sun on the horizon.

"Good morning Commander," I called, watching as he glanced over his shoulder at me. "Enjoying the sunrise before training begins?"

"I suppose. As much as I can with that _thing_ hanging in the sky still." He turned to face me, his hand extended. "Bri, I'd like to offer an apology to you. We were under a lot of stress, but that does not excuse my behavior towards you."

I accepted his handshake, giving him a smile. "Perfectly fine, Commander. I'm glad that you came to your senses. I thought I was going to get the cold shoulder forever ."

Cullen chuckled, shaking his head. "You know, when Cassandra told me that you had a sense of humor, I thought she was playing with me."

"She wasn't. I have a very bad tendency to laugh at the worst of times and make inappropriate jokes." I looked around, taking in the countryside. "Would you mind walking with me Commander? I've yet to see outside the gates of Haven and should probably acquaint myself with the lay of the land."

"Of course." He motioned down the path to the right. "The recruits will still be waking and training will not begin for another hour or so."

"You are putting them through their paces so I heard. Where are the recruits coming from?"

"All around. Most of them are refugees who wish to fight for their homes and their land. Others saw the destruction of the Conclave and others still have heard word that the Herald of Andraste has come to save us and wish to serve in Andraste's name."

I sighed, the snow crunching under my boots. "I am not touched by Andraste. Surely you must understand that?"

"I understand that you give the people and my soldiers hope. Is that not enough?"

"If it keeps morale high, I will not contradict or correct others. But I will never claim to be touched by Andraste." I caught the twinkle of a fire out of the corner of my eye. "What's that over there?"

"I'm not sure. Do you want to check?"

With a nod, I strode forward down the path, pushing snow covered branches out of the way to reveal a small cottage nestled back against a rock face. "Did you know this was back here?"

"No, I didn't. It looks to be deserted if you want to go in."

"You know what they say about curiosity." I pushed the door open, glancing around. "Anybody home?"

Cullen and I searched the house, finding no sign of any occupants. We did, however, find some notes made by an alchemist. Cullen read over them before handing them back to me. "You should take that to Adan. I'm certain he could make something out of this."

"Adan is the alchemist of Haven I'm assuming?"

"Alchemist turned apothecary, yes. Would you like to continue walking? It looked as though there was a path behind the house."

"Yes, let's keep moving. I need to build back my strength. It's amazing how quickly it disappears after an illness."

"It is." We walked in silence for a bit before Cullen asked, "So, where did you come from?"

"Like Solas, I am an apostate."

"But you're Dalish."

"Sort of. I was born to a Dalish clan, but when my magic manifested at age nine, I was cast out. No other clans could take me in."

"At nine years old you were sent into the world?" Cullen sounded incredulous at that prospect.

I chuckled, knowing how absurd it sounded to an outsider. "Yes. Most Dalish children, when cast out, will starve or freeze. Some make it to the Circles, some become slaves to Tevinter."

"But you did neither of those." We rounded the hill, heading for a dock overlooking the frozen lake. "How did you survive?"

"I was very lucky in the beginning," I confessed, sitting down at the end of the dock, kicking my legs back and forth. "It was early spring when I was cast out. That means that I had most of the spring, an entire summer and fall to gather enough supplies to survive the winter. I'd watched the elders of my clan enough to be able to find and create a makeshift shelter.

"I discovered a small cave that was uninhabited; too small for a wolf or bear, too shallow for a deepstalker to feel comfortable in, and too high up for a nug to reach. I killed a bear using a tree and some of my magic. At that time, I was clumsy and untrained. But, it worked and I had a bear pelt to use for warmth and meat to cure and eat."

"You're no longer clumsy or untrained. Based on what Cassandra has told me, you are quite the capable mage." Cullen looked over at me, a frown on his face. "You won't be susceptible to demons, will you?"

I shrugged. "I don't practice the same magic that your Circle mages do. I've never had a Harrowing, never summoned anything, and I have no intention to. The likelihood of my getting possessed is very low compared to other mages."

"How did you learn magic if you lived in a cave?"

"I didn't live in the cave forever and my curiosity got the better of me." I smiled to myself, remembering how I had learned my magic. "I began experimenting, testing the limits of how far I could push myself. I could manipulate ice, storms, and fire, but I felt most comfortable with storms. Something about a lightning spell makes me feel alive. Have you ever felt that way, Commander Cullen?"

"Loads of times. Almost every time I pick up a sword and shield." He sighed, looking out over the lake. "Speaking of which, it looks like I may have to go and pick one up soon. We'll continue this conversation though, won't we? You've got me curious."

"Of course." I jumped down from the dock, landing cat-like on the ice. "I'll race you across."

"No fair! You got a head start!"

Cullen beat me across the ice by a stride and a half and I stood in the snow, panting as I tried to catch my breath. He gave me a smile and I could tell that he was trying to catch his breath as well.

"Well won, Commander Cullen. It seems I must regain some of my speed if I am to beat you." I straightened up, inhaling deeply. "Good luck and good day to you."

"Maker guide you, Bri."

I stopped by the blacksmith, speaking with him for a bit before heading back into the town. As I walked up the stairs to the second level of Haven, I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I looked to my right and spotted Solas sitting outside on a stone wall, watching me.

 _'Like a wolf watches it's prey,'_ I thought to myself, heading towards him. _'I wasn't expecting him to be up this early, but I'd rather speak to him now instead of waiting.'_

"Good morning!" I called as I got close. "How are you this fine morning?"

"Better than a few days ago," Solas replied, standing up from his place on the wall. "Do you have some time this morning?"

"I can spare a bit, yes. Then I must speak with the Seeker about our next plan of action."

"Of course. Come, let us go inside."

' _Away from prying eyes and ears I'm assuming?'_ I thought to him, following him inside.

' _Exactly. Two elven apostate mages speaking with one another in hushed tones openly is not a sight that the people of Haven will approve of.'_

He pulled the chair at the table out for me, gesturing for me to sit. I did, crossing one leg over the other, watching him intently. Solas sat across from me, clasping his hands together. I couldn't contain myself any longer.

"Where were we last night?"

"The Fade," he replied. "Where did you think that we were?"

"I...thought we were in Haven. It felt so real. I dreamed that?"

"Yes. I thought I would let you have the experience of walking the Fade with me." He gave me a smile. "I hope you enjoyed it."

"I did. It was wonderfu. May we do it again?"

Solas shrugged. "If you wish. I have no problem teaching an open mind how to walk in the Fade while sleeping. But there are other questions that you wish answered, are there not?"

"There are. Everything you said to me last night, it was all true?"

"Every word. I know that I have been painted as a liar and a trickster, but you must believe me when I say that I would not lie to you." He paused, looking at me curiously. "You have not eaten this morning, have you?"

"No, but I am not hungry," I lied, cursing my stomach as it growled loudly.

Solas chuckled, rising from the table to grab a loaf of bread. He handed me a piece and I waited until he was sat at the table once more before I began to eat.

"How long have you watched over me?"

"Since you were a child and found one of my stone idols in the Emerald Graves and spoke to it."

"I was only five when that happened! My mother was thoroughly upset with me for that. Scolded me for over an hour."

"Yes. And you refused to listen to her words and stories. You were a very willful five-year-old."

"I couldn't comprehend how people could believe him- _you_ \- to be a bad person without any evidence. Stories change over the years and are twisted. I knew even then that stories changed, if only because I had heard the same story told five different ways by three different people."

"You were wise." Solas beamed in approval. "You are cut from a different cloth than the Dalish, Brithari."

I nodded. "I will agree with that statement. Do you say this because you dislike the Dalish or because you have seen something in me that is not in the others?"

"Both." He rose from the table, beginning to pace. "I have watched you grow and mature. I saw how they cast you out, watched as you stumbled to find your footing in this world. I have kept watch over you when you were ill, guided you when you were lost, protected you when you could not defend yourself. I dislike the Dalish because of how they have forgotten themselves and their past and have twisted it to fit their liking. They have destroyed everything that our people once stood for."

"They could be taught," I replied, leaning back in my chair. "They need guidance. Someone to show them the right path to walk. You could do that."

"I cannot," Solas' voice was bitter and he looked down at the floor. "They would not believe me. I am the Betrayer, the Dread Wolf. My name is a curse to all elves."

"It is not!" I rose from the table, taking his hand. "I have never in my life believed the stories. If I can be created, others like myself can be too. We can spread the word, change their minds, tell the true story!"

I could see the pain in his eyes as he met my gaze. "I...would like that. But first we must close this Breach."

"I agree. Until that thing is out of the sky, we will be unable to hold the attention of the people, both elf and human alike." I realized I was still holding his hand and I let go, feeling ashamed that I had touched him without his blessing.

"Why?"

"Why what?" I asked, tucking my hand in my pocket.

"Why are you ashamed that you touched me?" He removed my hand from my pocket, giving it a squeeze. "It is nothing to be ashamed of."

"But you are a God and I...I am a mortal, unfit to touch the likes of you."

"You are more than a mortal, Brithari. You are my last follower and the most devout I have met." He stared down at me, a smile on his face. "I did not plan on revealing myself to you. I had wished to keep it secret. But when I felt your soul drifting closer to the Fade, unconscious in that cell, I had to reach out to you. I could have lied to you when you heard my voice, told you that I had made an educated guess as to who you worshiped based on your vallaslin. I could not find it within myself though."

"Why not?" My breath was a whisper as I found myself staring into his eyes, seeing so much wisdom and pain in them. "If you had intended to keep it hidden, why could you not lie to me?"

"Because you loved me and trusted me. It would make me a poor God if I ignored my people. Or person, as is the case."

I broke into a smile. "I am glad you made the choice to put your trust in me, Fen'Harel."

To my surprise, he pulled me into a hug, holding me close to him. "As I said last night, you have a beautiful soul, mir falon."

"Mir falon?" I questioned, stepping away from him.

"My friend. I must teach you elvish. You are missing so much in this world being unable to speak it." Solas turned towards the door. "The Seeker is searching the town for you. Go and find her. We will speak soon."

I exited quickly, looking around to see if anyone had noted my departure. I headed for the Chantry of Haven, hearing Cassandra speaking to what sounded like Varric about my whereabouts. I heard the conversation stop and continued walking until Cassandra called my name.

I turned just outside of the Chantry doors to watch her walk towards me. There was a look of worry on her face.

"Where have you been? I've scoured the entire town looking for you!"

"I was wandering the hills this morning with Commander Cullen. Then I went to get something to eat. I heard you calling and thought you to be at the Chantry." The lie was easy and I could tell that she believed it as her shoulders relaxed. "I'm sorry, Seeker. I didn't mean to worry you."

"It is fine. Come, we must go and speak with the others." She pushed the door open to the Chantry and I followed behind her, keeping stride. "Does it trouble you?"

"What? Oh, the Anchor?" I wiggled my fingers, opening and closing my fist. "Not really. It gives an odd tingle up and down my arm, but nothing like it was."

"The Anchor?" Cassandra asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. I thought I would call it that as it seems that it is permanent and adds weight to my shoulders that was not there before. I wish I knew where it came from, but I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

"What's important is your mark is now stable, as is the Breach. You've given us time, and Solas believes that a second attempt might succeed- provided the mark has more power. The same level of power used to open the Breach in the first place." Cassandra sighed heavily. "That is not easy to come by."

"Oh, an adventure! What harm could there possibly be in powering up something we barely understand?" I rolled my eyes. "Why don't we try throwing some goats at it while we're gathering resources? Maybe it's hungry?"

Cassandra let out a low laugh. "Hold on to that sense of humor. It seems that we will need it in the coming days."

I followed her into the room from the previous day that had housed Roderick. The table was cleared of books and papers, revealing a map of Orlais and Ferelden. I glanced over it, picking out the bigger cities with ease.

"You've met Commander Cullen, the leader of the Inquisition's forces."

"Once or twice." I gave him a nod. "How are you feeling after our run this morning?"

"Fairly good seeing as I beat you despite your attempt at cheating."

Cassandra cleared her throat, looking between the two of us. "This is Lady Josephine Montilyet, our ambassador and chief diplomat."

"Andaran Atish'an."

"You're about to be shocked, but I have no idea what you said. You know how to speak elven, but I have no clue"

"You've heard the entirety of it, I'm afraid. If I knew more I would be happy to teach it to you."

"And of course, you know Sister Leliana."

"My position here involves a degree of-"

"She is our spymaster."

Leliana sighed. "Yes. Tactfully put, Cassandra."

"Well, it's lovely to meet all of you. It doesn't seem like we're here to share tea and cake however, so why don't we get down to business?"

"I mentioned that your mark needs more power to close the Breach for good," Cassandra replied.

"Which means we must approach the rebel mages for help."

"And I still disagree," Cullen said to Leliana, his gaze hardening. "The Templars could serve just as well."

"We need power, Commander. Enough magic poured into that mark-"

"Might destroy us all." Cullen snapped, cutting off Cassandra. "Templars could suppress the breach, weaken it so-"

"Pure speculation," Leliana countered, eyes narrowing.

" _I_ was a Templar. I know what they're capable of."

I leaned back against a bookshelf, watching as they bickered among themselves.

"Unfortunately, neither group will even speak to us yet." Josephine cut in, trying to subdue the fighting. "The Chantry has denounced the Inquisition- and you, specifically."

Rolling my eyes, I approached the table. I stabbed my finger at the point on the map outside of Haven where the Breach had ripped open the sky. "You mean to tell me that they still believe that I am guilty and are ignoring the giant hole in the sky? Are they blind or are they stupid?"

"That is not the entirety of it any longer," Josephine attempted to soothe me. "Some are calling you- a Dalish elf- the 'Herald of Andraste'. That frightens the Chantry."

"Maybe they should do a bit of research then. I am not Dalish. I was born to a clan, yes, but I was cast aside like dirty clothing!" I could feel my face beginning to flush and I took a deep breath, trying to calm my temper. "I would quell the rumors myself, but that would divide the people and drop morale, things that we cannot afford right now."

"Yes, well, the remaining Clerics have declared it blasphemy, and we heretics for harboring you."

"Chancellor Roderick's doing, no doubt." There was a hint of disgust in Cassandra's voice.

"It limits our options," Josephine explained. "Approaching the mages or templars for help is currently out of the question."

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Will the Chantry attack us? Do I need to be worried about burning at the stake?"

"With what forces?" Cullen leaned against the table and I could tell that he was growing irritated. "They only have words at their disposal."

"And yet, they may bury us with them."

The room grew silent as I tried to come up with some idea. Leliana finally broke the silence. "There is something you can do. A Chantry Cleric by the name Mother Giselle has asked to speak to you. She is not far, and knows those involved far better than I. Her assistance could be invaluable."

"Hmmm. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to see what she has to say. It also gives me something to do. Where is she?"

"You'll find Mother Giselle tending to the wounded in the Hinterlands near Redcliffe."

"I've heard of that place. Not much there except mountains, hills, and a few ruined buildings."

"While you're there, look for other opportunities to expand the Inquisition's influence." Cullen gave me a smile. "It'll help build your strength back up."

"Like what?"

"We need agents to extend our reach beyond this valley and you're better suited than anyone to recruit them."

"In the meantime, let's think of other options." Cassandra gave me a glance. "I won't leave this all to the Herald."

"So, when do we leave?"

* * *

I scanned the letter from Scout Harding for a third time as we sat in our camp. It had been two days of hiking trying to reach the Hinterlands. Solas, Cassandra, and Varric had all insisted that they come with me and it had proven to be an interesting trip. Solas had told me about some of the ruins on our journey and I'd found myself fascinated by the stories. Watching Varric and Cassandra's banter had also been amusing. They bickered like an old married couple. Solas and I had both exchanged glances and smirks at their arguments.

Now we had settled down for the night, another half a day from arriving in the Hinterlands. It was my turn to keep watch, the Breach swirling over our heads.

' _We avoided the fighting as best we could - it's every bit as bad as we'd feared. The apostates are mad, attacking anything that moves, and it appears that the templars here aren't following anyone's orders any longer.'_

I sighed, knowing that having to fight both parties would prove to be a challenge in and of itself. I could hope that the apostates would listen to reason, as Solas and I were both considered apostates, but if they were as angry as Scout Harding perceived, I doubted that they would.

I glanced over at the other three, watching as they slept soundly in their bedrolls. I decided that I would go off a little ways and practice with the staff. It had been a long time since I had handled one. Most of the time I cast magic using my hands, as staffs were hard to come by and even harder to craft out in the wilds.

I stood at the very edge of the fire's warmth, keeping an eye and ear out for bandits or wolves. I drew my staff from my back, wielding it in front of me. I practiced a few overhead twirls and got comfortable with its weight and size. I'd forgotten how unwieldly they could be when you didn't practice with them on a consistent basis.

Once I felt comfortable with some basic movements, I paused, closing my eyes and taking a few deep breaths. My muscles were aching, but I knew that was from lack of use. When I opened my eyes, I found myself face to face with Solas.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, stumbling backwards.

"It seems silly for you to practice on your own. You gain nothing from it except for poor technique."

"And you're an expert in technique?"

Solas smirked, drawing his own staff. "There's a cluster of trees where our magic will be hidden from Cassandra and Varric. If you'd like to see my technique that is."

"Seems a bit of an unfair fight." I began to walk towards the cluster of trees that Solas had indicated. "You are a God after all, Fen'Harel."

"That I may be, but I have been out of practice for nearly a thousand years. Let's say that we are more evenly matched than you may believe."

I took the left side of the clearing, watching as he took the right. We both drew our staffs, circling each other. He cast the first spell, an ice blast. I blocked it easily, sending it into a tree behind me. I became inundated with ice blasts, one flying after another. I managed to block most and even got a couple of my own lightning bolts cast.

A spell of his caught me square in the chest and I felt my body lock up. I closed my eyes, the magic running through me. The ice exploded outwards and I rushed forward, twirling my staff out in front of me. A sting of pain ran up my arms as my staff met Solas'. We began to push against one another, feeling the surge of power between the two of us.

I felt the magic gathering up inside of my chest and I could tell that he was building up his as well. He was grinning from ear to ear as we circled one another, our staffs locked together.

' _Who will give first?'_ He thought to me and I felt his power wash over me, trying to get me to crumble.

' _Not me, that's for certain,'_ I thought back, throwing my own will against his, watching as his eyes widened with surprise. _'You weren't expecting me to push back?'_

"I was expecting it, yes," he murmured, his eyes never leaving mine. "I was not expecting how strong that push would be."

With that he broke the hold and I stumbled forward. He caught me around the waist, helping me regain my balance. The magic was ebbing away once more, returning back to where it had come from.

I looked up at him, frowning. "Why did you stop?"

"Because the dawn is coming and the others will be waking soon."

"You're lying."

"Yes."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Were you worried you would hurt me? Because you wouldn't have. I'm tough enough to take it."

"That wasn't it at all." I realized that Solas' hand was still resting on my hip. "I...couldn't bring myself to strike out at you."

"Hesitation will kill you if you're not careful."

"I know it will." He reached up to brush a strand of my hair from my face, tucking it tenderly behind my ear. "Brithari, may I speak freely?"

"Of course."

"I...am not certain how to begin this. I have been alone for so long and to have someone who cares for me is different. I apologize if I act strange towards you or if I...if I overstep my bounds."

I stepped a bit closer to him, looking up into his face, seeing the pain there. I touched his cheek, watching as he winced. "I trust you, Solas. I-"

"Bri? Solas?" Varric called. "Where are you?"

Solas sighed, stepping away from me. "We're over here. Brithari heard some wolves and woke me to assist her."

We walked back to the camp, finding Cassandra and Varric packing up and preparing to move. Cassandra cast us a curious glance, but said nothing. Varric on the other hand, decided to tease the both of us.

"So, what were you two really doing out there?"

"It's like Solas told you. I heard wolves and I wanted someone to help me in case I should run across them."

"Why didn't we hear them then?"

"Perhaps because you were snoring so loud?" Solas replied.

I chuckled. "I'm surprised the wolves even came near, seeing as he sounds like a bear!"

"Alright you two, I get it. I snore." Varric rolled his eyes. "I see it's going to be one of those days where you pick on the dwarf."

"You'll be fine," I teased, patting him on the head. "We'll go easy on you today."

Solas and I rolled up our bedding and strapped it to our backs. We began to hike in the direction of the Hinterlands. By mid-day, we had spotted the camp of the Inquisition. I was the first up the hill, confronted by a dwarven scout.

"Good afternoon. We were wondering when you would arrive. I'm Scout Harding."

"Hello." I gave her a smile. "My name's Brithari. We heard that you could use some help."

She nodded. "Like I said in my letter, it's bad. The apostates and the templars are at each other's throats and Mother Giselle is stuck between them. She has been tending to those who have been wounded, but we can't keep fighting both sides."

"It's why we're here. We-" I paused, hearing shouting and screams for help. "Is that the fighting?"

"Oh no. They've gotten to the Crossroads. I don't have enough people to-"

I didn't catch the rest of her sentence as I was plunging headlong down the road towards the fighting, Solas and the others close behind as we headed towards the battle taking place.

I rushed in, casting spells at anyone who wore the Templar armor. It angered me that they would even think attacking civilians was acceptable. One got too close and I managed to dodge away, but not before he sliced my upper arm open. I bit down on the pain, casting chain lightning, watching as it jumped from the man in front of me to another one who was bearing down on Varric.

As he was paralyzed, I grabbed his sword, shoving it into the gap between his armor. He went down without a sound and I turned my attention to a mage that was trying to overwhelm Cassandra by rapid-casting ice spells. I felt the energy building up in my chest and I unleashed it, watching as a small storm appeared out of nowhere, lightning striking Cassandra's foe long enough for her to deal a killing blow.

"Brithari, look out!"

I turned to see a large Templar knight bearing down on me, murder in his eyes. Without a word, I dropped to the ground in front of him. He tripped over my now prone form, going sprawling face first into the dirt. I leapt to my feet, using my staff as a bludgeoning weapon, striking him in every soft spot I could to keep him down. He was too close to give me time to cast a spell without getting hit and the others were occupied with their own opponents.

The man managed to regain his senses and he grabbed me by an ankle, yanking me down to land flat on my back. The wind was knocked out of me and I struggled to catch my breath. A heavy boot landed on my chest, driving whatever breath I had regained out of my lungs. Still, I struggled to get him off me. The point of his sword pressed to my throat and I closed my eyes, preparing myself for death.

But it never came. Instead, the man froze solid from head to foot, a look of surprise on his face. He and his sword crumbled into chunks and I shoved them off me, finding Solas standing next to me, offering his hand. He helped me to my feet and I realized that the battle for the Crossroads had concluded, leaving wounded Inquisition soldiers and terrified townsfolk in its wake.

"Are you alright mir falon?"

"Fine."

"You're bleeding!" Solas reached into his belt for a potion bottle. "Here, drink."

I shook my head, taking the potion bottle from him, going to one of the villagers who had been caught in the middle. I knelt next to them, uncorking the bottle, pressing it to their lips. They drank it greedily and I watched as their chest wound faded, replaced by new flesh. Solas watched in disapproval as I rose, handing him his bottle back.

' _Why would you do that? You are hurt!'_

I sat down on a stone wall, rummaging through my pack for a piece of cloth to tie the wound on my arm with. _'Because they needed it more than I did. They would have died without it, whereas my wound is superficial.'_

"Bri, are you alright?" Varric asked, sauntering up to us, Bianca slung over his shoulder. "I heard Solas say something about blood."

"I'm fine." I said, voice muffled as I finished tying the cloth with my teeth. "It's only a scratch. I can get more potions once we resupply at camp."

"What if it was poisoned?"

"Varric, do you think that Templars would waste their time with poisoning their blades?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Brithari!" My head snapped up to find Cassandra standing next to a Chantry sister. "If you are done catching your breath, come."

I rose from my seat, groaning slightly at the ache in my arms and lower back. I headed up the hill to join Cassandra and the other woman. I gave a small bow, watching as the Chantry sister acknowledged my presence with a nod of her head.

"You must be the one that they call the Herald of Andraste."

"I am. But I would prefer if you called me Bri. Were you hurt in the battle?"

The woman shook her head. "I was not. But many others were. There are not enough supplies for the wounded here and I can only do so much without proper healers."

"What do you need?"

The woman gave me a sad smile. "I need things that you cannot give to me, Bri. Tell me, why is it you've come?"

"Leliana said that you may be able to help with the Chantry issue that we're facing. It seems that those who help the Inquisition are heretics."

"So I have heard. And you are blasphemy in their eyes."

"I could care less what they think of me," I replied, eyes scanning the village as they began to help one another rebuild. "I have been called worse."

"I can see." She stepped up next to me, watching as I did. "I have been called many things in my time as well. May I give you some advice?"

"Of course. Advice has never hurt me in the past."

"Some of the Sisters are grandstanding, hoping to increase their chances of becoming the new Divine. Some of them are terrified, so many good people taken from us."

"I don't remember what happened, but what I saw was horrible." I frowned. "What I continue to see is horrible. So much death and destruction."

"Fear makes us desperate, but hopefully not beyond reason. Go to them. Convince the remaining clerics you are no demon to be feared."

"But I am an elf and an apostate. In their eyes, I may as well be."

"You are right, but they have heard only frightful tales of you. Give them something else to believe."

"You want me to try to convince them and change their minds?"

"What do you have to lose? If I thought you were incapable or it were a trap, I would not suggest it." She gave me a small smile. "Their power is in their voice. Unified, they are strong. But if you can cast a shadow of doubt over some of them, they will lose their power and you will receive the time you need to fix this chaos."

I nodded. "I will go. I've never been to Val Royeaux before, but perhaps it is time to broaden my horizons. Tell me, Mother Giselle, what can we do here to help the people of the Hinterlands?"

"There are many here who are cold, hurt, or ill. Many still go hungry. Anything you or the Inquisition can provide would help."

"I'll do what I can." My gaze fell on Cassandra, Solas, and Varric helping townsfolk. " _We_ will do what we can."

"You are kind, Bri. Be safe and may the Maker protect you."

I bowed, heading down the hill to my companions. They were huddled together, talking amongst themselves. They all stopped when I approached.

"Please, don't stop talking on my account."

"Brithari, you're still bleeding." Solas produced another potion. "Will you please take this instead of giving it to someone else?"

I looked down, seeing the blood trickling down my forearm. "I didn't realize I was still bleeding. Were any of you hurt?"

"No, we all came out unscathed, minus yourself." I took a swig of potion as Cassandra spoke. "Where do you wish to go from here?"

"The letter mentioned something about a Master Dennet. I think getting horses for our growing army would be a good idea. I also think we should take some time to try and get supplies together for the villagers here."

"Let's not forget about the apostates and the Templars," Varric interjected. "They'll continue to attack the Crossroads unless we destroy their camps."

"Perhaps we can reason with them."

"Solas, did these people who attacked seem reasonable to you?" Cassandra challenged.

"No, but if Brithari and I-"

"They can't be saved. I saw the bloodlust in that Templar's eyes when he had the sword at my throat. And the mages are too frightened to understand that we are not with their enemy." I let out a deep sigh, wincing at the pain in my chest. "Night is coming. The Crossroads will be fine until the morning at least. Let's return to camp, go over the maps and come up with a plan for tomorrow. And if there is a river or stream, I will soak myself in it before bed."

We headed back up towards the camp and I found that there was a stream around the corner from where we were staying. Cassandra and I went over the map, Varric and Solas contributing their ideas as well. We decided that we would return to the Crossroads in the morning and check on the townsfolk before heading to the northwest in the direction of Master Dennet's farm.

When we finished, it was dark and the fire was dying down. I went to my tent and stripped out of my armor down to my simple tunic and breeches. I slipped from the back of the tent, heading to the stream, using the moonlight to guide my way.

I found the stream without incident and took off the rest of my garments, hanging them on the branch of a tree. I winced at the bruising on my chest in the form of a heel print and the scab of the cut on my arm. I'd taken the potion a little too late, so it hadn't healed the wounds completely. While there was no pain, they were still visible.

I stepped into the water, shuddering at how cold it was. My body adjusted fairly quickly and I walked deeper until I was up to my neck. I sunk beneath the water, allowing the current to tug at me, my white hair floating around me like a halo. I kicked up to the surface, taking a deep breath.

"May I join you Brithari?"

I bit down on a yelp of surprise, looking around for Solas. I spotted him leaning up against a tree, wearing nothing but a loincloth. I tried to cover myself as best I could, a blush rising up in my cheeks.

"Solas, what are you doing here?" I demanded, sinking deeper into the water. "I was hoping to get a private bath!"

"I apologize. I will leave if you wish."

"No!" He raised an eyebrow and I cursed my forcefulness. "As long as you stay far enough away where you cannot see me unclothed, you may join."

I couldn't help but notice the smirk on his lips as he sauntered towards the water, slipping in without so much as a wince at the cold. He began to bathe himself and I stole glances out of the corner of my eye at his unclothed form.

"See something that you like, Brithari?"

My heart leapt to my throat and I turned away, scrubbing at some dried blood on my forearm. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I saw you looking at me." I could hear the satisfaction in his tone at having caught me. "I ask again, do you see something that you like?"

"And if I did?"

I was surprised when warm arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me tight against him. "I would say that I saw something as well. Something rare and beautiful."

I leaned into him, feeling him inhale sharply at the movement. His grip on my waist tightened and I turned to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck, pressing my naked form against his. His lips hovered over mine, a whisper away. He reached up to cup the back of my neck and-

"Brithari? It is time to wake."

I let out a groan as I opened my eyes, finding Cassandra standing over me. I sat up, shaking my head. "How did I get here?"

"We were talking around the fire last night and you said something about going to get a bath in a bit. But before you could, you dozed off. Solas carried you into the tent and you've been asleep ever since." She cocked her head to the right, a small frown forming at the corners of her mouth. "Are you alright Bri? You seem a bit shaken."

"I'm fine. Had a strange dream is all. When are we departing?"

"As soon as everyone is dressed, we're moving out." With that, Cassandra turned on her heel and exited the tent.

I dressed quickly, tugging my apprentice coat over my shoulders, strapping my staff to my back. I pulled my boots on and exited the tent, finding Solas and Varric already dressed and eating by the fire. Cassandra was nowhere to be seen and I assumed that she was either getting dressed or went scouting ahead. I sat down next to Varric, staring into the fire, replaying my dream.

"Brithari, are you feeling alright?" Solas asked, offering me an apple. "You fell asleep very quickly last night."

"Yes, I'm fine." I refused to look at him or accept the food, continuing to stare into the fire.

"Bad dreams?" Varric questioned, leaning back in his seat. "Wanna talk?"

I shook my head, forcing a smile. "Not bad dreams, only strange. Where is the Seeker?"

"Went to scout ahead. She wanted to make sure that the Crossroads had held overnight and asked us to join her once you were up and moving."

"Let's get going then," I said forcefully, shoving to my feet. "No need to keep her waiting."

We began to walk down the path and Solas was by my side. Instinctively we fell back a bit, trying to keep Varric out of earshot.

"What is wrong, Brithari?"

"Solas, I...did you and I go to the Fade again last night?"

"No. We did not. Why?"

I hesitated, feeling the blush rising up in my cheeks at the idea that my own mind had conjured up the dream. "I...dreamed of you and I last night. It was strange."

"Strange how?"

I reached for his hand, interlacing my fingers with his. As I did, I thought up the dream in my mind, using our touch as a link. I couldn't bring myself to look at him when he withdrew his hand gently from mine.

"I am sorry," I whispered, picking up my pace, trying to blink the tears away.

By the time we reached the Crossroads, the tears were gone, replaced instead by a burning hot flame of shame. I spotted Cassandra speaking to one of the soldiers but found myself sidetracked as I heard a man crying for help.

I approached the fretful elf by the fire. He turned to me, tears in his eyes. "Please, you must help me. My wife, she can't breathe."

"Slow down. Why can't she breathe?"

"She has this sickness, makes it feel like she has cobwebs in her lungs and can't catch her breath. She hasn't had this happen in a long time, but the excitement of yesterday made it come back. Our son, he makes a potion to help her, but he's with this cult in the hills." He choked back a sob. "If she doesn't get this medicine soon, she'll die. I can't lose my wife. Please help me."

I patted the man's hand, watching as he looked up at me hopefully, tears slipping down his cheeks now. "Your wife will not die. Can you point me in the right direction?"

He pointed towards the east. "You go through the gate, then follow the road south. There are bandits and all manner of beasts out there, so be careful. Mythal guide and protect you on your journey."

I headed towards the east gate, Cassandra running to catch up with us. "Brithari, where are you going?"

"There is a man in the village whose wife is dying. Their son can create a potion, but he is with some cult in the hills. I'm going to get the potion from him."

"We were supposed to see Master Dennet today," Cassandra reminded me.

"I'm well aware of it. We can head there after we get this potion. I'd like to help the villagers first before we move on. Without the support of the common people, our Inquisition is nothing."

When we reached the gate, the guard stopped us. I looked at her curiously. "What's going on here?"

"I wanted to warn you that there are bandits up ahead. Only, I think that they're more than bandits."

"What do you mean?" Solas questioned. "If they are bandits, they will be no match for us."

"They're far more aggressive than normal bandits and more organized. If I didn't know better, I would say they were soldiers."

"Soldiers who fled their duties?" I tried to crane my neck to see if I could spot any of these bandits.

"If I might speak freely my lady?"

"Of course."

She dropped her voice, looking around as she spoke to make sure there was no one else listening. "They look like Templars, but they're not, if that makes sense. I don't want to make any accusations as one of my cousin's is a Templar, but those are my observations."

"Are they harming anyone?" Cassandra spoke up. I hadn't realized that she'd stepped up beside me. "Has anyone been killed or injured?"

"No. Scared and had their things stolen, but not hurt."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Now I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "What's your name?"

"Recruit Belette, ma'am."

"Do you think that you can stop anyone from leaving on this road for the next day and a half?"

"I can do that, yes ma'am."

I broke into a grin, a wave of relief washing over me. "We're heading to the cult to get a potion for a villager. Once we're done with that, we'll take care of your bandits and get the road back open."

The recruit nodded. "I'll take care of it. Be safe out there."

We strode out of the gate, pausing for a moment as we got our bearings.

"This is awfully kind of you Bri," Varric commented. "Are you certain that the Templars and the mages can wait?"

"They'll have to. This is an immediate loss of life. If need be, we can fight off the mages and Templars again."

"You're willing to take on the responsibility and consequences?" Cassandra asked incredulously.

"Yes." I glanced over at Solas, catching him nodding with approval out of the corner of my eye. "I take full responsibility. Now, can we get going?"


End file.
